restaurant weekend review

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a meh weekend for food...here are the reviews.

first stop: minca.

suggested as an alternative ramen place. had the spicy miso ramen. only meh. the broth cannot touch that of ippudo.

minca. 536 e 5th st (b/t avenue a & b)

second stop: isabella's.

isabella's is a hopping place for brunch (which is when we went). crowds were waiting outside (in the rain) for a table. the turnover was rather quick and we only waited 20 minutes or so. of course, i had to try the filet mignon eggs benedict. description (in ordered layers): english muffin, onion ring, filet mignon, poached egg, gravy-esque hollandaise sauce. the dish also came with a generous serving of homefries. it was definitely worth trying.

isabella's. 359 columbus ave (at 77th st)

third stop: ichi umi.

aahhh, ichi umi. touted for being a gargantuan of sushi, korean, chinese, and more buffet. here's what you can dream about from ichi umi: seafood (including lobster, softshell crab, oysters), sushi (including maki, nigiri, sashimi), soup station, grill station, dessert, fruit & ice cream stations.

here's the reality: all of the above is mediocre at best. bahhh.

ichi umi. 6 e 32nd st (b/t 5th & park ave)

upcoming sales & new food faves

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this week's sales:

sample sale productions
september 24-26th, thurs & fri 10-6pm, sat 10-5pm
135 w 52 st, 5th flr, b/t 6 & 7th ave

only hearts annual sample sale
september 24-26th, thurs 11-7:30pm, fri 11-8pm, sat 1-6pm, sun 11-6pm
386 columbus ave, nr 78th st

steven dann sample sale
september 24-28th, 11-9pm
220 lafayette st, nr spring st

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now for food thoughts:

originating from l.a., bcd tofu house is my new fave korean spot in the city. we went for lunch to avoid the wait and as a bonus, the monday to friday lunch menu is a deal. paying an average of $15 each for lunch was enough to eat ourselves ridiculously silly (and with leftovers packed!)

bcd tofu house
17 w 32 st

i also finally tried the parisien macarons from la maison du chocolat:

they are decadent. and also expensive at $2.50 each for a macaron the size of a toonie. not an everyday item for consumption.

most people i know who have been living in the city for awhile swear by the banana pudding at magnolia bakery and scoff at the cupcakes there. now i know why:

magnolia bakery banana pudding $5.50 (nearly empty container)

so good, i already bought a new one:

magnolia bakery
1240 avenue of the americas (rockefeller center)

i went to a housewarming this past weekend (in hell's kitchen, meh). my cousin's-roommate's-co-worker was telling me about this amazing sushi buffet called ichi umi. it definitely looks like a place where you could eat yourself silly.